Apparatus for building concrete structures



G. STRM APPARATUS FOR BUILDING CONCRETE STRUCTURES Filed July 2. 1921 2 sheets-sneer. 1

v s v i 1 M JMMWM G. sTRoM AFPARATUS FOR BUILDI'NG CONCRETE STRUCTURES Filed July 2 192: 2 shams-sheen 2 mi, www mmm/mm v ami/"uf Patented Oct. 14, 1924.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GUSTAV STROM, OF PONTIAC, MICHIGAN, ASSIAGNOR OF FORTY-NINE ONE-HUN- DREDTHS TO PETER D. JOHNSTON, OF PONTIAC, MICHIGAN.

APPARATUS FOR BUILDING CONCRETE STRUCTURES.

Application led July 2,

To a-ZZ 'tu/0m t may concern.'

Be it known that I, GUs'rAv STROM, citizen of the United States of America, residing at Pontiac, in the county of Cakland and State of Michigan, have invented certain new and useful )Improvements in Apparatus for Building Concrete Structures, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

The invention relates to the apparatus for forming building walls of cement or concrete and it is the object of the invention to facilitate the manufacture of slab units which may be used in the erection of such walls. It is a further object to provide for various forms of finish, such as imitation stone, brick, etc. and to this end the invention consists in the apparatus as hereinafter set forth.

In the drawings:

Figure l is a plan view illustrating the method of setting up the molds and for disassembling the same after the setting of the molded slabs;

Figure 2- is a perspective view of the mold sections disassembled;

Figure 3 is a cross-section showing a stack of filled molds;

Figure 4 is a horizontal section showing the manner of engaging and disengaging the wall sections;

Figure 5 is a vertical section through a mold provided with an attachment for forming an imitation brick face;

Figure 6 is a perspective view of the attachment used in Figure 5;

Figure 7 is a perspective view of one of the finished slabs;

Figure 8 is an enlarged detail view showing the manner of disengaging a wall section.

In the erection of building walls formed of concrete blocks it is usual to lay the blocks with an ordinary mortar binder. With my improvement the blocks are designed to be attached by fluid cement and are therefore of a form for receiving the cement and for forming thereby the necessary keys. To maufacture such blocks cheaply and expeditiously, I employ forms which may be quickly set up and knocked down and by which a series of slabs or blocks may be simultaneously molded.

In detail, A is a series of molds, each one 1921. Serial no. 482,040.

of which is composed of members B and C detachably engaging each other to form a rectangle- These members are preferably formed of pressed sheet metal and, as indicated in Figure 2, each is formed with a ri'b or bead D arranged lcentrally and entending longitudinally thereof. The members B are further provided near` their opposite ends with slots E and the n'ieznbers C are formed at one end with projecting odset ears F having a slot Cr therein, while at the opposite end there is a hook H for engaging the slots G of an adjacent member` C. The arrangement is such that in assembling the mold, the ears F are first inserted through the slots E and the hooks H are then inserted through the slots Gr, which arranges the second member C in alignment with the first and clamps the member' B therebetween. In this manner a series of molds may be laid, the members B forming division strips between adjacent blocks and the beads D thereof forming in one block a groove and in the adjacent block a tongue. The tongue l is smaller than the groove J to an extent equal to the thickness of the member B and this provides a space for filling with a binding cement when the blocks or slabs are laid in the wall. The beads D upon the section C extend inward so as to form grooves l in the opposite ends of the blocks. These grooves, when filled with plastic cement, in the laying of the wall will form keys binding adjacent blocks to each other.

To economize in ground space the series of molds are preferably arranged in stac rs having a plurality of superposed molds. rlhe method of procedure is, first, to assemble the series of molds, constituting the base of the stack, resting the same upon a suitable baseboard L. These molds are then filled with plastic cement and are struck olf, after which a pair of wooden strips M, M are placed on opposite sides of the series and another board L is supported thereon. Upon this a second series of molds is assembled, being filled and struck off in the same manner and this operation is continued until the whole stack is formed. After the setting of the cement, the molds are successively disassembled by swinging the end sections C about the slotted ears F and hooks H as a pivot until said hooks are disengaged from the slots, then withdrawing the section B from engagement with the ears of the next 'ner and when all the'blocks havevbeen detached, the molds-may be again refilled It is frequently desiredto 'build a` cement wall in imitation of abrick or other finish. To accomplish this, I have provided an attachment, shown in Figures 5 and y6, in which N is a frame or grid marked oif to conform to the standard arrangement of bricks in a wall, the divisions of the frame vbeing of a thickness equal to the usual thickness vof the mortar. The depth of the frame is comparatively slight, as, for instance, onefourth of aninch. i In use, after the main y.mold has been filled and struck off to form 'the body of the slab, the frameN'is placed thereon and the openings filled with ace- `ment suitably colored in imitation of brick.

After striking ofi;l the cement,the frame is lifted and will leave the projecting brick, while the grooves between the same will have the-appearance of mortar. i

In laying a wall the slabs or blocks formed las described are assembled endto end and the grooves K are filled with liquid cement.

` This,'when hardened, will form a key firmly Vbinding' the blocks to each other.` 'The superposed blocks are connected by filling the gro-ove with cement and then inserting the tongue of the adjacent block'which, as before described, is slightly smaller and will :leaveroom for the cement. In this manner .the wall may be built and if desired, may be made hollow yby use of va parallel inner wall and suitable spacer blocks.

One ofthe principal advantages of my improvement is the low cost of the molding frames and the ease with which such frames can be assembled and-disassembled. Also, my method of forming the face by the shallow superposed frame is one which lends itself to great and cheap production.

What I claim as my invention is:

l. A mold for cementblocks or slabs comprising a plurality of pairs of parallellyarranged side members, each having a pro- `iecting apertured ear at one end thereof, and a hook at the opposite end, cross members .apertured to engage said ears and secured by the engagement of hooks of an adjacent pair therewith.

2. A mold for cement blocks or slabs, comprising side and end members formed of pressedl sheet metal, having a longitudinally extending central bead for forming a groove or tongue when oppositely arranged, said side members being provided with projecting apertured ears at one end and hooks at the opposite end for engaging the apertures of ears on adjacent side members, and said end members being apertured for engagement with said ears and held in position by the hooks.

3. A moldfor cement blocks orslabs` comprising a pluralityl of-pairs ofparallelly larranged side .members, eachv member having an apertured ear at one end thereof and -a hook at the opposite end for engagingan aperture ofthe corresponding ear, whereby said pairs of sidev members maybe arranged end to end in a series offanydesired length, cross members aperture'd for engagement' withsaid ears and locked in position by'the hooks engaging said ears,` the hooks ron the members on opposite sidesof the mold being oppositely turned to vpermit of disengagement fromthe molded block by apivotal or swinging movement.

si. Amold for cement blocks -or slabscomprising a bodyportiontformed of i-ntersecting side andV end members, and a facing member in the form of a grid superposed on said body portion between said intersecting side and end members. v

5. A mold for cementl blocks or slabs comprising a. plurality of pairs ofmetallic side members, each having a projectingfapertured carat one end thereof, a hook at the opposite end, and metallic cross members apertured to engage said ears and secured by the engagement of hooks of anadj acent pairtherewith. f

6. A mold for cementblocks o r slabs,com-` prising a plurality of pairsofside members, each having an integral projecting 'apertured ear-:at one end thereof, an integral hook at the opposite end, and cross members apertured to engage said earsand secured by the engagement of hooksfofan ,adjacent-*pair therewith.

7. In a mold of the class described, -a plurality of space-d members khaving openings therein at the ends thereof, spaced members extending through said openings, the lastmentioned members havingapertures therein at vone end and provided 'y withhooks at the opposite end, said hooks being engageable with said aperturesl forfrholding the last-mentioned members in the openings in the first-.mentioned members.

In testimony whereof I .affix mysignature.

GUs'rAv s'rRoM. 

